9 PM Current Affairs Brief – April 24th, 2018

SC notice to govt. on petition to outlaw Section 377 Context: The Supreme Court has recently asked the government to respond to a plea to strike down the colonial Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code which criminalizes homosexuality. Background: December 2013: Supreme Court dismissed the LGBT community as a negligible part of the population… Continue reading SC notice to govt. on petition to outlaw Section 377

Finance Ministers to discuss wider range of issues Context: Andhra Pradesh will be soon hosting a second round of Finance Ministers’ conclave on May, 7th in Vijayawada. Salient features of the second edition of the Finance Ministers conclave: The horizons of the second edition of the Finance Ministers conclave are being widened to pave way… Continue reading Finance Ministers to discuss wider range of issues

Cooperation can resolve Mahanadi dispute’ Context: The Water Initiatives Odisha (WIO) and Mahanadi River Waterkeeper has recently organised the 2nd Odisha River Conference. 2nd Odisha River Conference: Around 150 people from basin communities such as farmers and fisherfolks participated in the programme along with civil society representatives, river and water experts and academicians from across… Continue reading Cooperation can resolve Mahanadi dispute’

RS Chairman rejects motion against Chief Justice Misra Context: The notice given by the opposition for the removal of the CJI has received mixed reactions across the political spectrum. RS Chairman rejects the motion: According to Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu , the petition was based on suspicion, conjectures and assumptions, and doesn’t constitute… Continue reading RS Chairman rejects motion against Chief Justice Misra

‘India, China are guardians of multipolar world’ Context: Ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organistaion (SCO), External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met their foreign counterparts in Beijing. Announcement of a two-day summit: A two-day summit between between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be held in Wuhan… Continue reading ‘India, China are guardians of multipolar world’

The Asian ripple effect Context: Asia’s three main powers, India, Japan and China are adapting to the possibility of a post-U.S. world order whereby U.S is largely growing protectionism within the brackets of ‘America First’. Mutual engagements among India, Japan and China: India’s reset of ties with China needs to be viewed as part of… Continue reading The Asian ripple effect

For a digital library of life Context: Similar to Human Genome Project, scientists have proposed Earth BioGenome Project, a massive project to sequence, catalogue and analyze the genomes of all eukaryotic species on the planet About Human Genome Project: The Human Genome Project was an international research effort to determine the sequence of the human… Continue reading For a digital library of life

AFSPA lifted in Meghalaya Context: AFSPA has been revoked from Meghalaya and parts of Arunachal Pradesh owing to improvement in security situation. What has happened? The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has been revoked from Meghalaya since 1st April In Arunachal Pradesh, the impact of AFSPA has been reduced to eight police stations instead… Continue reading AFSPA lifted in Meghalaya

PM to launch Gramin Swaraj Abhiyan from M.P. today(The Hindu) Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Rashtriya Gramin Swaraj Abhiyan in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh on the National Panchayati Raj Day What is Gramin Swaraj Abhiyan? Campaign that is being organised on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti during the period 14th April… Continue reading PM to launch Gramin Swaraj Abhiyan from M.P. today

India highest recipient of remittances Context: According to World Bank’s Migration and Development Brief, India has retained the top position as a recipient of remittances. Highlights of the Report: Remittances inflows: Global remittances which includes flows to high income countries grew 7 per cent to USD 613 billion in 2017 from USD 573 billion in… Continue reading India highest recipient of remittances

The risks in fracking Context: Prospects and risks associated with the process of fracking for extraction of shale gas. What is shale gas and oil? Unconventional natural resources Found at 2,500-5,000 m below the earth’s surface within a special form of sedimentary rock termed shale rock. What is fracking or hydraulic fracturing? Process used for… Continue reading The risks in fracking

Threefold solution for sugar payments crisis Context: A Group of Ministers has suggested a three-fold solution to the sugar payment crisis Background of the Crisis: Following higher sugarcane production and crash in prices dues to sugarcane farmers from mills have piled up Payment to sugarcane farmers is considered ‘due’ when it is delayed by more… Continue reading Threefold solution for sugar payments crisis